Post by 89 on Jan 13, 2011 23:24:44 GMT -5

So, this is my 7th year at Bonnaroo and the only thing that sucks about camping there in a tent is the heat. It sucks to wake up covered in sweat, so I'm wondering if you guys here had ideas for me and everybody else to share about cooling our tents down? A little battery powered fan doesn't go far, so I'm curious if anybody has had some interesting ideas on how to beat the heat and wake up energized and cool!

Post by wolfmanjess on Jan 14, 2011 0:07:47 GMT -5

Sleep on a mattress and tarp under a canopy with reflective tarps hung up to block the morning sun. Tents are to keep you dry or warm, typically at Bonnaroo I do not need help with either. I bring a tent in case it rains or gets chilly but I do most of my sleeping under canopies.

Post by cheeky on Jan 14, 2011 0:21:19 GMT -5

You can buy corn kernel feed and fill a pillow case with it and put it in your cooler when you aren't using it, it stays real cool for quite a while, so you can sleep with it or whatever.

Really, there are threads upon threads in the logistics section of how to build different battery operated cooling devices with motors and dry ice and whatnot, but all in all there isn't too much you can do that doesn't require a whole hell of a lot of effort.

Post by Ellie on Jan 14, 2011 2:28:21 GMT -5

Pretty much the main thing I've read is to use fans and cots to allow better circulation. (along with definitely using EZ ups - and i think ive seen Coleman one and First Up that could be comparable) Also heard the tarp trick too. I heard putting the emergency blankets can even help reflect heat off the tent, but it blinds your neighbors.

Post by Huzzah on Jan 14, 2011 9:44:50 GMT -5

Dude...you aint sleepin' in past 8am without AC, unless you were THAT f&cked up the night before. After 10pm, I think it's easy to fall asleep in the tent without a fan, but of course is always better with more moving air.

The mind is going to tell the body to get the hell out of the tent as soon as that sun starts hitting the tent. My suggestion is to bring extra shade, a hammock stand, and hammock. Wake up, hit the hammock, pass out again.

Honestly...a cot is a better investment imo. Even if the rain pours and your tent is sitting in a pond, the cot will keep you dry. It's comfy (you can move it outside if you don't want to invest in a hammock), and indestructable. Cost for a basic one will run you $50

Post by dcbee on Jan 14, 2011 14:05:35 GMT -5

* Tallest tent I can afford under an EZ-Up* Reflective tarp facing east* Tapestries/sheets facing other directions (with tarp backups in case of rain)* Two fans - one for either side of me* Cot

Though really, I think the two fans + plenty of tarps are the most important parts. Last year I was in a short tent with tarps pressing down on it to make it even shorter and slept on an air mattress, but I was a happy girl with my two fans. One just like Druid's and one that's smaller but still pretty strong. I also propped them up on my suitcase so they were right at face-level. I slept pretty late and was also able to nap in the middle of the day.

Post by alieblue on Jan 14, 2011 14:32:53 GMT -5

This past year we were mighty comfy. Our third year we learned a lot.

1. Tall tent. Tall is more important than wide because it gives good airflow.

2. Some sort of shelter over your tent with at least a foot space for airflow. Some use EZ ups, we used a ginormous blue tarp and two poles like these (http://www.amazon.com/Unger-961881-3-2dStage-Telepole/dp/B000E46GM8/ref=wl_it_dp_o?ie=UTF8&coliid=IP4WGTY2X8PB9&colid=3V91AYSBBV53U) to hold them up (we stuck tennis balls on the tip so it didn't poke through the tarp & used tent stakes & cord to hold taut to the ground).

3. Reflective tarp facing the east so you can sleep a bit longer.

4. Fans. We have the cheapy $9.99 O2Cool fans and sleep with it right at our face - we prop them up on luggage etc.

5. Open the tent. Take off the rainfly, open the windows. Who cares if people see you sleeping, you need air flow to stay cool.

We sleep on a basic air mattress, bring a fitted sheet, a fleecy blanket, flat sheet & pillows. Go to bed with the blanket, around 7am take it off, drink some water, crash again for a couple hours.

Post by julieagulia on Jan 14, 2011 14:48:56 GMT -5

A basic cot and a canopy with some tapestries is what I'm doing this year, I don't even think we will be bringing a tent. Might be a bad idea if it decides to rain but the tent was just a big hassle for us last year and took up a lot of space. We only slept in it for maybe an hour and moved immediately into the canopy when we got to hot.I also used a small camping mattress to sleep on, bad idea. I got no air flow underneath me and was constantly dripping in sweat even when I moved it under our canopy and out of the tent, so I'm thinking cots or hammocks are for sure the way to go.Might invest in an extra fan or two as well.

Post by Huzzah on Jan 14, 2011 14:55:41 GMT -5

A basic cot and a canopy with some tapestries is what I'm doing this year, I don't even think we will be bringing a tent. Might be a bad idea if it decides to rain but the tent was just a big hassle for us last year and took up a lot of space. We only slept in it for maybe an hour and moved immediately into the canopy when we got to hot.I also used a small camping mattress to sleep on, bad idea. I got no air flow underneath me and was constantly dripping in sweat even when I moved it under our canopy and out of the tent, so I'm thinking cots or hammocks are for sure the way to go.Might invest in an extra fan or two as well.

Just go with hammock stand and hammock if you can afford it (I know it's pricey, but worth it). Using some thin sheets on the sides of the ez up works well. You can tie them down if you want some privacy, then just roll up the ones that aren't blocking the sun when you get up.

Sheets allow some airflow through/in. They'll hold up and dry out if it rains. And being off the ground, with a hammock or cot, will keep you dry as long as you have the canopy overhead.

The nice thing about the hammock is that it allows air to come up from underneath, and you won't be swimming in your own sweat (whihc is the issue with cots, air mattresses, sleeping bags, etc). Just use a blanket underneath you at night because you can get a little chilled at around 3am.

Post by iggypimp on Jan 15, 2011 13:01:04 GMT -5

a triple layer tarp will block all sunlight and most heat. but most of them are silver and those may cook your neighbors. i think the key is blocking the sun as long as possible after that its all about air circulation. this year im ditching the air mattress and going to use a mesh cot to disperse body heat faster. just like last year i will be using a car battery with an ac plug hooked up to it to power a few large portable fans and a portable shower.

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Post by ntellier85 on Jan 16, 2011 20:25:58 GMT -5

This is my setup from last year.

The EZ up and tarp blocking out the rising sun really is key and the most impotant part of keeping cool. EZ up's dont do Leno in the morning when the sun is rising and beaming down straight into the side of your tent, hence where the tarp comes into play. I had this along with 2 big battery powered fans in my tent and I can honestly say I was comfortable the entire time, and was able to sleep till 11am every morning. Meanwhile, my neighbors had only a tent, no ez up or anything, and were sprawled out in the grass outside their tent by 8:30am every morning hating their lives.

Post by elusiveboz on Jan 17, 2011 12:57:52 GMT -5

This word also has a underground meaning once you break it down. Let’s take “Bonn” for example and it actually turns into the word “Bone”. We all know gays use this word to describe the action of when they are fecal fisting their Cuban cabana boy at their sex bath house parties. Now let’s look at Roo, “Roo” is short for “Kangaroo”.So put the full true message together and you get“Bone a Kangaroo

Post by katbur2 on Jan 20, 2011 14:45:27 GMT -5

So, this is my 7th year at Bonnaroo and the only thing that sucks about camping there in a tent is the heat. It sucks to wake up covered in sweat, so I'm wondering if you guys here had ideas for me and everybody else to share about cooling our tents down? A little battery powered fan doesn't go far, so I'm curious if anybody has had some interesting ideas on how to beat the heat and wake up energized and cool!

Post by s0ul8 on Jan 23, 2011 7:42:31 GMT -5

This is my new favourite thread here. It will be my first time doing Roo, and I'm from Canada, so I wasn't really going to prepare for the heat. We will probably still have snow here when I leave. I HATE sleeping when it's hot, and all of this has been super helpful! Thank you!

Post by Clairity on Jan 23, 2011 10:29:18 GMT -5

So, this is my 7th year at Bonnaroo and the only thing that sucks about camping there in a tent is the heat. It sucks to wake up covered in sweat, so I'm wondering if you guys here had ideas for me and everybody else to share about cooling our tents down? A little battery powered fan doesn't go far, so I'm curious if anybody has had some interesting ideas on how to beat the heat and wake up energized and cool!